Lock



Feb. 27, 1934. F. w. KULICKE 1,948,765

LOCK

Filed Sept. 12, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT? OFFICE LOCK Application September 12, 1929 Serial No. 392,010

4 Claims.

My invention relates to looks, and the principle thereof is adapted to be employed and applied in the construction of looks for various purposes but it is particularly well adapted for employment in the manufacture of locks for automobiles, and therefore I have illustrated the same in connection with means which adapts it for use as a lock for controlling the ignition circuit of an automobile or other like structure.

One object of the invention is to provide means of novel construction whereby when the lock is in use and in locked position it is protected against destruction and its essential parts rendered inaccessible except to a person with a key.

A further object of the invention is: to provide novel means for retaining a lock cylinder within its mounting.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the detailed description thereof which follows or will become apparent from such description.

In order that the invention may be readily understood and its many practical advantages fully appreciated reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein is illustrated an embodiment of the invention in the form which at present is preferred by me.

In the drawings,-

1 Fig. 1 is a view partly in vertical longitudinal section and partly in side elevation of a lock embodying the invention, the said lock being shown as mounted within a casing which is adapted to be in turn mounted upon a suitable support, such, for example, as the instrument board of an automobile or any other suitable or convenient part of an automobile or other structure;

Figure 2 is a view partly in top plan and partly in section of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 is a view in section of a fragmentary portion of the lock structure, taken on the line 2* --2 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 3 is a view in front end elevation;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a similar view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Figs. '7, 8, and 9 are views in perspective of different parts of the lock structure, the' said parts being shown in disassembled relation with respect to each other;

Fig. 10 is a view in perspective of means mount- 55 ed upon the inner end of the lock cylinder for movably supporting an electric contact carrying disk;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 2 except that the lock cylinder is shown as having been turned through an angle of substantially from locked into unlocked position;

Fig. 12 is --a view in front end elevation with the lock cylinder in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line l3l3 of Fig. 11; and

Fig. 14 is a view in elevation of the inner end of the lock structure, the lock cylinder having mounted thereon the contact disk supporting means which is illustrated in Fig. 10.

In the drawings I have shown a mounting member 1 having a cylindrical bore the greater portion 2 of which is of greater diameter than the inner portion 3 thereof, whereby a shoulder is provided at 4. The lock cylinder 5 is mounted within the bore 2 with the outer edge portion of the inner end thereof in contact with the shoulder 4. The central portion of the lock cylinder is reduced in diameter and projects through the portion 3 of the bore of the member 1 and its inner surface is practically flush with the surface of the inner end of the member 1. The member 1 is mounted within a cylindrical casing 6 and is retained in fixed position therein by means of a fastening screw 7. The lock cylinder 5 is provided with spring-pressed tumblers 10 mounted in the usual manner and adapted to be withdrawn from locked to unlocked position by means of a key 11 in the usual manner. When the lock cylinder is in locked position, as indicated in Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, one end of each of the tumblers 10, if the key is withdrawn, engages the undercut groove 12 provided upon the inner side of the mounting member 1. Upon the insertion of the key the lock cylinder may be rotated toward the right a distance of approximately ninety degrees (90) with the opposite ends of the tumblers located opposite the groove 13. When the lock cylinder is in unlocked position it may be returned or moved into locked position without the aid of a key, as will be hereinafter more fully pointed out and described. The rotary movement of the lock cylinder from locked to unlocked position and from unlocked to locked position is limited by a stop lug or projection 14 provided upon the inner end of the said cylinder, which lug or projection is located in a notch 14 provided in the inner edge of the portion 3 of the mounting 1, as shown in Figs. 1 and 14 of the drawings, and contacts with no the shoulders at the opposite ends of said notch.

For the purpose of retaining the lock cylinder within the mounting member 1 I have provided a'retaining cap 15, which preferably should consist of bendable metal hardened sufiiciently to prevent destruction thereof bychipping, cutting or otherwise. The said cap is pressed into the shape desired and fits over the outer reduced end portion 16 of the member 1. The external diameter of the reduced end portion 16 of the member 1 is such that the cap fits snugly but rotatably thereover. The member 1 is provided with an annular groove 17 at the inner end of the portion 16. The front wall of the said groove constitutes a shoulder 18 which is adapted to engage clinched or pressed-in portions 19 provided upon the inner end of the cap 15. The. said cap is provided at intervals near its inner end with openings 20 and the clinched or pressed-in portions 19 are provided in the relatively narrow. strip portions 21 between the inner edges of the openings 20 and the inner edge or end of the cap 15. The inner edges of the openings 20 are provided with projections 22 located medially or centrally thereof, which projections are adapted to engage the shoulder 18 which acts as a stop to retain the member 1 and the cap 15 in rotatable connection with each other. The outer end of the lock cylinder 1 is provided with an enlargement or head 25 of a diameter such that it fits snugly but movably within the cap 15. The said head 25 is provided with a projection 26 which may be described generally as being oblong in shape and terminating at its opposite ends in projections 27. The outer end of the cap 15 is provided with a hollow projection 28 of corresponding shape, that is, of a shape to receive the parts 26 and 27. By the engagement of the parts 26 and 27 with the hollow correspondingly shaped parts of the hollow projection 28 of the cap 15 relative rotation between the cap 15 and the lock cylinder is prevented. The oblongshaped portion 28 with which the outer end of the cap terminates constitutes convenient means for enabling rotation of the cap 15 with the lock cylinder 5 connected therewith, independently of. the key. Such rotation of the cap 15 and the lock cylinder without the use of a key may be effected from an unlocked position of the lock to a locked position thereof.

The casing 6 is provided with a projection 30 consisting of an indentation of the material thereof, which extends inwardly and is in engagement with an elongated recess or groove 31 provided in the mounting member 1 and extending lengthwise thereof. The inner end of the recess 31 opens upon the inner end of the mounting member 1, that is to say, the rear end of the slot or recess 31 is open to permit of the lug 30 to slide into it in assembling the parts. The engagement of the projection 30 with the recess 31 prevents relative rotation of the mounting member 1 and the casing 6. When the lock is in unlocked position the mounting member, together with the lock cylinder, may be removed from the casing 6; but when in locked position removal is prevented because of the engagement of a stop 32 with the projection 30. The stop 32 consists of a projecting segmental portion of a circular plate 33 which is secured by means of screws 34 or other fastening means to the inner end of the lock cylinder 5. For the purpose of insuring that the plate 33 shall be placed in proper position upon the inner end of the lock cylinder I have provided the latter with two pins 35 and 36 of different diameters which are adapted to fit holes 37 and 38 of corresponding diameters in the plate 33. It will be apparent that the plate can be placed in position only when the pins 35 and 36 register respectively with the holes 3'7 and 38. When the lock cylinder is in locked position it will be seen (as is shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings) that the projection 32 is in such position that any attempt to remove the mounting 1 and the lock cylinder mounted therein from the casing 6 will cause the projection 32 to contact or engage with the projection or stop 30. The re moval of the mounting 1 and the lock mounted therein from the casing is thereby prevented. When, however, the lock cylinder is turned into unlocked position the portion 40 of the plate 33 is brought into alinement with the stop or projection 30. The portion of the plate at 40 is cut away, so that the edge thereof will pass underneath the projection 30. It is apparent, therefore, that when the lock is in unlocked position, if the screw 7 which passes through the casing 6 and is in engagement with the mounting 1 is removed, the mounting 1 and the lock cylinder mounted therein are removable.

The plate 33 is provided with inwardly extending diametrically related arms 41 the outer free ends of which are turned inwardly, as indicated at 42. These inwardly-turned ends extend into notches 43 provided in the edge of a disk 44 of insulating material upon which is mounted a metallic member 45 upon which are formed contacts 46 and 47. The metallic member 45 is provided with arms 48 which extend through the member 44 of insulating material and through a washer 49 of insulating material upon the outer side thereof. The outer ends of the arms 48 are turned inwardly, as indicated at 50, to engage the washer 49 and operate to hold the same in assembled relation with the disk 44. A coiled spring 51 is located between the plate 33 and the washer 49. The said spring is compressed and its tendency to expand operates to hold the washer 49 and the disk 44 in their outermost positions. The spring 51 is retained in position by the arms 41 and the projections or lugs 52 provided upon the outer edge of the plate 33, as is clearly illustrated in the drawings. It will be apparent that the disk 44 and washer 49 are slidable upon the arms 41 and that the contact of the washer 49 with the inwardly-turned portions 42 of the arms 41 limits the outward movement of the said disk upon the removal of the lock structure from the casing 6. The contacts 46 and 47 being pressed outwardly by the spring 51 are caused to make yielding contact with the stationary contacts55 and 56 and 57 and 58, which are mounted upon the stationary member 60 of insulating material located, within the casing 6. Relative rotation of the member 60, with respect to the Casing 6 may be prevented by the engagement of an indentation 61 formed in. the casing 6 with a notch (not shown) in the, said member 60. The contacts 56 and 57 are connected by a metal strap or other connection 62. The circuit which is adapted, to be controlled by the movable and stationary contacts. referred to, not constituting a part of the invention, is not shown. It may be noted, however, that when the contacts 46 and. 47. are in engagement with l the contacts 55 and 5 6 the circuit. is completed, and that whenthe said movable contacts are in contact with the stationary contacts 57 and 58 the circuit is grounded.

It will be noted that the head 25 secured integrally or otherwise to the front end of the lock cylinder 5 and the plate 33 secured to the other end of the said cylinder operate to hold or retain the lock and the mounting l in assembled relation to each other. When thus assembled and when the lock is in use it will be apparent that the lock cylinder is inolosed and protected. As a further means of protection the cap 15 is provided, which not only incloses the head 25 but also incloses the reduced outer end portion of the mounting member 1 and is rotatably connected therewith.

It will be seen that by my invention I have provided a lock of relatively simple construction having means whereby the lock cylinder is protected against destruction and also having means whereby the lock structure is automatically locked to and unlocked from the casing within which it is mounted upon movement of the look into locked and unlocked positions, respectively.

When the lock is in unlocked position the notch 49' provided in the edges of the disk 44 and the washer 4,9 is in alinement with the projection 30, in order to permit removal or" the lock structure from the casing 6.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A look for automobiles or the like, comprising a locking cylinder, a mounting member for said locking cylinder, said mounting member having an open ended recess at the inner end portion thereof, a casing to slidably receive the said mounting member, a rigid lug projecting from the inner side of said casing into the said recess to prevent the rotation of said member with respect to said casing, and means carried by the said looking means and operable thereby to close the open end of the said recess when the said lock is in locked position and to prevent the removal of said member from said casing so long as said lock is locked.

2. In a lock for automobiles and the like, the combination of an open ended casing, a mounting member longitudinally slidable into the open end of said casing and including a locking cylinder axially rotatable in said member from an unlocked to a locked and conversely from a locked to an unlocked position, manually operable retaining means for normally preventing the withdrawal of said mounting member from said casing, and supplemental retaining means for automatically preventing the withdrawal of said mounting member from said casing so long as said locking cylinder is in its locked position and comprising a lug projecting inwardly within said casing into an open ended slot with which the rear end of the member is provided, and a rigid member carried by said locking cylinder and rotatable therewith to a position behind and in registration with said lug as said locking cylinder is moved to its locked position.

3. In a lock for automobiles and the like, the combination of an open ended casing, a mounting member insertable into the open end of said casing, a locking cylinder axially rotatable in said mounting member from an unlocked to a locked and conversely from a locked to an unlocked position, removable retaining means accessible from the outside of said casing for normally preventing the withdrawal of said mounting member from said casing, and supplemental retaining means independent of said first-mentioned retaining means and inaccessible from the exterior of said casing for automatically positively preventing the withdrawal of said mounting member from said casing so long as said locking cylinder is in its locked position and comprising a lug projecting inwardly within said casing into an open ended slot with which the rear end of said member is provided, a rigid member carried by said locking cylinder and rotatable therewith to a position directly behind said lug when said locking cylinder is moved to its locked position and rotatable with said cylinder to a position clear of said lug when said locking cylinder is moved to its unlocked position.

4. A look for automobiles or the like, comprising a locking cylinder, a mounting member for said locking cylinder, an open ended easing into the open end of which said mounting member is freely slidable longitudinally, manually operable means to normally retain said mounting member within said casing, a lug projecting inwardly within said easing into an open ended slot with which the rear end of said member is provided, and means carried by said locking means to engage said lug and to substantially close the open end of said slot and to automatically hold said mounting member irremovably locked within said casing independent of said retaining means when and so long as said look is in its locked position.

FREDERICK W. KU'LICKE. 

